EDDIE DEAN - INSCRIBED PRINTED PHOTOGRAPH SIGNED IN INK - HFSID 342713

EDDIE DEAN
The popular western actor signs still from his film Caravan Trails in black ink
Inscribed printed photograph signed in ink: "To Melvin/ Eddie Dean" in black ink. B/w, 10x8. Still from Dean's 1946 film Caravan Trails. Eddie Dean (1907-1999), a former singer on the popular National Barn Dance radio program in 1934, became a featured performer on Gene Autry's Melody Ranch and The Judy Canova Show. In 1938, Autry offered Dean a film role in Western Jamboree, beginning an eight-year stint in low budget Westerns, including five Hopalong Cassidy films and the serial, The Lone Ranger Rides Again. Ironically, Dean was not asked to sing until 1944's Harmony Trail, which brought him to the attention of PRC, a low-budget studio. The studio, which hoped to compete with Republic's Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, released the first Eddie Dean musical westerns in color, making their singing cowboy the first star of color "B" Westerns. Dean was first teamed with Emmett Lynn, who was later replaced by Roscoe Ates, his best-remembered sidekick. In addition to his film work, Dean appeared on the TV series, The Beverly Hillbillies (1963), and wrote songs for other country artists, including "One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart", which was a hit for Jimmy Wakely, and "I Dreamed of a Hillbilly Heaven", which became one of Tex Ritter's most successful recordings. Dean, who received a "Pioneer Award" from the Academy of Country Music, was inducted into the Western Music Association's Hall of Fame in 1990. Slightly toned. Light surface creases. Corners rounded. Ink notes on verso in unknown hand. Slightly soiled. Otherwise, fine condition.